


You Can Always Come Home

by bjelkemander



Series: Âme, Chèvre, Fraternité [4]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: Adoption, Brotherhood, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Forgiveness, Gen, Guilt, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 04:15:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16987857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjelkemander/pseuds/bjelkemander
Summary: Kris has gone missing.





	You Can Always Come Home

Back and forth, back and forth.

Asriel’s legs swung as he impatiently shifted on the front porch. Toriel and Asgore had drafted Rudy into babysitting the goat kid as they rushed to the hospital, but it was as much Rudy’s daughter running amock as it was him guarding Asriel. He’d relegated himself to the front of the house after an hour or so, content to watch in peace for his parent’s return. They’d hardly been around the last few days. The two had explained to their son that they were getting ready to bring his new brother home, but that didn’t make the wait any less anxious.

He was excited. His parents had spoken about caring for another child before, and from the tone of their voice just earlier, it was gonna be happening soon. His own fangs were just starting to grow in during the last year or so, and he couldn’t wait to help his new brother become a full-grown goat monster too. He’d spent hours making his bed, cleaning his room, and lining up his toys; he wanted everything to be ready for the new arrival. He pressed his face to the glass, scanning the surrounding streets for a sign of his parent’s car.

Asriel has always thought the house was so lonely with just himself and his parents. He enjoyed playing with other monsters at daycare or down at the park when his parents had the time, but it grew tiresome to always have to entertain himself. He had been told he was going to have to share his room with whoever arrived, but that had only made him more thrilled. He was finally going to have somebody that was always around, somebody he could always play with, and somebody who he could grow up alongside.

The young caprine nearly fell from his perch as he saw his parent’s SUV turn the corner. Asgore nearly jumped the curb on his approach to the driveway, tyres spinning as he jolted to a halt. Asriel was on his feet immediately, nearly rolling himself down the front stairs. He could barely stand still as he stood beside the idling car, standing on his tip-toes to try to peer through the windows. His mind ran through the introductions he’d give to his new brother, and everything he could show him once his parents had gone to bed.

“I told you to let me drive.” Toriel rolled her eyes as she stepped from the vehicle, glaring at the shredded grass trailing from the tyres. Asgore has managed to avoid plowing into the large flower garden that dominated the front lawn, but that was hardly a surprise. He treated that garden like it was another member of the family. Probably wouldn’t have as much time for that these days. Asriel crowded impatiently at his parent’s feet as they gathered around the back doors of the car. His mother plucked a shadowed figure from the back, kissing its head before standing back and setting it down on the ground.

Asriel stared, his face blank. The goat monster he’d been expecting wasn’t standing before him. This kid was short, but lanky, their eyes concealed beneath long, flowing brown hair. They were dressed plainly, wearing only a striped grey-on-darker-grey shirt and black shorts. The monster looked them up and down, his face riddled with shock and confusion. He hadn’t been expecting his parents to come home with a baby, given Toriel’s lack of bump, but this was still far from what he’d been expecting. That wasn’t what threw him into silence, though.

The kid was a human. Asriel had only seen them a few times before, and certainly never spoken with one, but there was no mistaking it. In some ways, it was close enough to himself. It was only about half a foot shorter, after all. It had all the right limbs, two arms, two legs. But its flesh was pale, soft, and hairless; far from the white, velvet fur that coated the goat monster family. Asriel couldn’t see its ears, either. He figured they might be the weird, gnarled growths on either side of its head, but he couldn’t be too sure. He gazed at the new arrival blankly, the greetings and ideas he’d had prepared suddenly evaporated.

“Kris, this is your brother. His name is Asriel.” Toriel and Asgore beamed as they stood over the two children, oblivious to the confusion and doubt that raced through the goat boy’s mind. The two guardians stood patiently, as though waiting for Asriel to do something; the monster was himself frozen stiff, barely able to think, much less do something. This kid was so far from what he’d been expecting, and he didn’t know how to reorient himself. How could his parents even bring a human home like this without discussing it with him? What kind of kid even was it?

Asriel flinched as the human suddenly lunged at him. It was hugging him, or at least, that’s what it seemed like. He fumed silently as Asgore chuckled above him. Kris held the pose for a few seconds, before releasing the goat and returning to staring passively at Asriel. “I told you the boys were going to get along just fine, honey.” He boasted to Toriel, taking Kris’ hand gently in his huge, furry paw. “C’mon, let’s show you around your new home.” The patriarch led the human inside, leaving Asriel alone on the driveway with his mother.

Asriel did his best not to scowl at Toriel, his teeth nonetheless barred. “I thought you said you were bringing home a brother for me?” Toriel cocked her head, dropping to her haunches so she could speak with her son. She usually did this whenever he got upset. It made him feel like he was being listened to. “Kris is a boy like you, my child.” She said softly, running a hand over his head. “Is there something wrong?” Asriel pouted and stomped his foot, frustrated that he wasn’t being understood. “But that thing’s a human! Where’s its real parents gone?”

Toriel’s smile faded. She placed her hand on the goat boy’s shoulder, gripping it tightly. “Asriel... I don’t want you saying things like that.” She said sternly, in that kind of voice mothers reserve for when they need to be serious. Her son glanced down at the ground. He always did when he was in trouble. “Kris is a part of our family now, and he needs you to take care of him. You’re his big brother, after all.” She sighed and broke the stare to gaze up at the bedroom window. Asgore was holding Kris up, the human boy waving down at the pair.

Asriel whined but nodded anyway, still trying to work out just what to make of the kid his parents had brought home. Toriel took his hand and lead him inside, the two goats silently heading up to the bedroom. It was mostly bare; there’d been a lot of rearranging to take care of before Kris’ arrival. Asriel had practically begged his parents to replace the cartoonish, kiddy monster wallpaper on his side of the room with something else now that he was older. He’d already covered the headboard of his bed with stickers of stars, planets, and the moon, and wanted to do the same with his wall.

“I will just be downstairs for a moment. Why don’t you show Kris some of your toys while you wait?” Toriel and Asgore both beamed back and forth at the two kids, the human and monster standing essentially expressionless on either side of the room. Asriel sighed and nodded as they both made their way from the room, leaving him alone with the new arrival. The two stared for a few moments before Asriel walked over, hesitantly reaching out to wave a hand in front of the idle human’s face.

“So... Your name is Kris, huh?” Asriel was at a loss on what to say. Nothing had really changed as far as what the two could do together was concerned - it wasn’t like his parents had brought home some kind of formless goop monster. Still, he would have liked to have been told he’d now be sharing his room with a human. They had separate beds, at least, but who knew how these things got during the night? Maybe he’d end up try to sleep under his bed, ready to grab at Asriel when he got up in the middle of the night for a glass of water.

The human simply stared blankly. Asriel could faintly see his eyes past the long bangs that shrouded most of his upper face. They seemed empty, focused on nothing in particular. The human blinked slowly, as though waiting for Asriel to continue. Its eyes were dark, the shadows cast by his hair not improving things, but his irises were dark red, and almost seemed to glow with their own energy. The goat boy didn’t know if this human was normal or strange for the species, but if they were all like this, it was no wonder monsters preferred to live on their own.

“Kris! There’s somebody down here I’d like you to meet!” Asgore’s voice boomed throughout the house; Asriel could usually hear him no matter where he was. Rudy must have finally been able to settle Noelle down. The deer girl was as hyperactive as they came, and while her and Asriel got along, there was a competitive streak between the two. That would probably only deepen now that Kris was being introduced. The goat boy sighed and trudged after the human as they headed from the bedroom.

...

The first few months were hard. As excited as Asriel had been to have a sibling, reality didn’t always meet up to expectations, and young boys like him were highly adept at overexciting themselves. The realisation that his new brother was a human was especially caustic in stripping away the rose tint that coloured his view of fraternity. It was a slow process to move past the initial shock that his brother wasn’t a goat monster, and that frustration was somewhat targeted toward both his parents and Kris.

Nevertheless, Toriel and Asgore persisted. They owed it to Kris to make things as comfortable as possible while he settled into his new home, especially after his adoption. The redecorating of the boys’ room had come along quickly enough, and both at least seemed to agree to keep to their own side of the room. Asriel had wasted no time in covering his newly-painted wall with fluorescent stars, the stickers emitting a gentle neon glow in the dark. Kris’ side of the room remained essentially bare, save for his bed and a small nightstand with a single book on it.

Asriel’s parent’s tried to recognise his struggle in adjusting to the new family member. They’d made it clear to him, though, that he had to treat him kindly. He’d at least come to quickly realise Kris was essentially just like him in many ways - he slept, he ate, he breathed. There were no issues at dinner or bedtime, and the two generally didn’t argue. He seemed to be content to follow Asriel in doing what he wanted, but one thing he didn’t seem to do much was talk. There’d be the occasional question or request every now and then, especially when he was upset, but otherwise he was mute. 

He wasn’t absent, however. He never seemed to leave Asriel’s side, really. It had been one of the goat boy’s major frustrations at first, especially when he wanted to go play with the other monsters. Asriel had wanted some time on his own, but his mother had insisted he take Kris along. He’d quickly grown sick of the others calling him names and asking where his skinsuit was, but surprisingly, Kris had continued to tag along whenever his brother went to the park. Eventually, the other kids just grew bored of the joke, and even let Kris join in their games sometimes.

That’s really what bothered Asriel. Everyone seemed to succumb to Kris and treat him like he was special. Sure, it was unusual for monsters to meet a human, but it seemed like everyone wanted to watch him, talk to him, and hug him. Even his parents were doing it; they seemed like the worst, really. Asriel’s horns had begun to sprout from his head recently, and the slow growth gave Asriel throbbing headaches. Kris just asked when his own horns were going to grow, and Toriel spent nearly an hour crafting him a fake, red, plastic pair on a headband to wear after she explained. She’d just given Asriel an ibuprofen when he complained about the headaches. She did give him a break from homework for the week at least, and let him play Super Smashing Fighters as much as he liked.

Which is where he was now perched. Asriel teetered on the edge of the couch as his fingers danced across the controller, focused just as intensely on the fight as he was trying to ignore the headache. Spikes of pressure and pain shot through his head like lightning, yet he kept his eyes locked on the TV. He was playing in a school tournament in a few weeks, and he needed to brush up on his main. He threw the green lizard across a gaping chasm as he desperately tried to escape his opponent’s blows, but it was just too far. He plummeted from the screen, falling into the dead zone, text flashing on the screen as he lost the match.

“Gargghh!” He gritted his teeth as his head pulsed like it was in a vice, the controller falling to his lap. It was the third game in a row he’d lost, and he felt like he was getting sloppy. It was hard to concentrate, though, and he was still getting used to the new stages that had been added to the game. He reached to the small, pink horns that were the source of the pain, and rubbed at them gently. He’d been a little embarrassed to realise their colour when they first emerged, but his father had reassured him they’d fade to their usual bone white shade - even as he remarked on how cute and small they were.

Asriel suddenly grabbed for the controller as the screen changed, backing out into the menu. Kris was seated next to him, his own controller in hand. As if it wasn’t enough for Asriel to have to let Kris join him in playing with the other monsters, she’d insisted he share his video games with Kris too. She’d even bought a second controller just for Kris when Asriel had said he couldn’t join in certain games because they were two-player. Asriel had complained that it wasn’t even the proper controller like the one that came with the console, but Toriel just said the salesperson had told her it was basically the same.

“Kris, it’s my turn to play. You just did, like, ten rounds. Mom said we have to share.” The human boy clicked through to the two-player menu nonetheless, flicking through the characters on his side of the screen. Asriel frowned and tried to back out of the menu. “Kris, c’mon. Stop it.” He gritted his teeth as a bolt of pain shot through his head. Kris tugged at his shirt and pointed at the screen. “No, Kris!” He was wearing those stupid red horns again, like he was a real goat. “Why don’t you go back to your real parents and stop bothering me, you /idiot/!”

As soon as he said it, he knew he’d fucked up. Kris was just as quick to respond. The human boy froze up immediately, his hand falling from Asriel’s shirt. The two boys simply stared at each other, not sure what to say, not sure how to respond. “Kris...” The human boy wasn’t interested; he suddenly pushed himself from the couch and marched toward the stairs, disappearing toward the bedroom. Asriel just sat there, his words ringing in his ears as the painful throbbing continued to blare through his head. He glanced around nervously, afraid his father, or worse, his mother, had heard.

Letting the controller clatter to the ground, he started off after Kris, racing up the stairs after the human boy. He approached the bedroom door cautiously, as though Kris may burst out at him at any moment. He tried the knob. It was locked. Listening for any signs of life, Asriel rapped on the door gingerly, hoping for a response. “Kris?” Nothing. Glancing around warily for his parents, the goat boy snuck back downstairs toward the living room. He planted himself back on the couch and just stared at the screen, watching the idle graphics flow by as though they could make this whole thing go away.

Dinner was awkward. Toriel had announced something about her receiving a raise at the school - glaring at Asgore as she said this - but Asriel could barely listen to the details. Kris was seated opposite, barely picking at his food as Toriel and Asgore sniped at each other in the background. He wasn’t wearing his horns, Asriel noticed, and he could only imagine Kris’ eyes were redder than their usual dark ruby. He reached to scratch at the base of his sprouting horns, the pain droning in his head as Toriel and Asgore’s disagreement reached a crescendo.

The room broke into silence as Kris suddenly ground his chair away from the table, rising to his feet and stomping out. An uneasy air filled the room, the three goat monsters staring at the doorway for a few moments. Nobody seemed ready to break the awkward pause, though Toriel and Asgore were clearly eager, slowly returning to their glare. “Well... I guess you’ll just have to do all the washing up now, Asriel.” He considered protesting, but the look his mother shot at him made him think better. “And Asgore, meet me in the living room.”

Asriel’s mind raced as he quickly headed to the kitchen with the leftover plates. He could only imagine this had been the worst day of Kris’ time living with him so far. It wasn’t something he’d expected, but it left a deep pit in his stomach. Maybe it was guilt over his own role in Kris’ despair, but he just wished he could take it all back. Right now, with their parents arguing like this, Kris was all Asriel really had. He didn’t even want to consider what they might be discussing in the living room. They weren’t talking about separating yet, but things weren’t great.

Asriel washed, scrubbed, and rinsed the dishes as quickly as he could. Despite everything, he just wanted to be beside Kris. He wanted to apologise for what he’d said. He wanted to tell him that he really didn’t mind him being his brother. He wanted to tell him that it didn’t matter whether mom and dad fought, they’d just make up and kiss afterward. As much as Kris’ behaviour could annoy him, it worried him, too, and he didn’t deserve to suffer through days like these. Barely even pausing to wipe his paws dry, he darted from the kitchen, keeping his eyes locked forward as he passed the living room.

The stairs seemed like a mountain. A deep dread filled Asriel’s heart as he ascended the stairs, hand gripped tightly on the railing. The pain in his head had subsided, for now at least, but he’d rather endure it than his current torment. If only he hadn’t said those stupid words to Kris, he might at least be able to talk to him between Toriel and Asgore. Hovering outside the bedroom door, he slowly turned the handle - Kris hadn’t locked the door at least. Taking a deep breath, he paused for a moment before swinging the door open, glancing around the bedroom.

His heart seemed to skip. Kris wasn’t there. Asriel immediately turned from the room, racing down the hall to check the study, the bathroom, even his parent’s bedroom. Nothing. The goat boy raced back to his and Kris’ own room, searching around desperately. He even checked under their beds - maybe Kris had taken shelter there - but that was hopeless as well. Almost in a panic, Asriel glanced around the room again, hoping there was something so obvious that he hadn’t noticed that might tell him where Kris had gone.

The window. Asriel almost ran to it as he realised the window beside his bed was wide open - the one leading out to the roof of the garage. His mother had always warned him against climbing out of it, but Kris probably wasn’t in the most rational mood right now. He gazed out across the dark street, nightfall broken only by the dim glow of streetlights and houses, as he desperately scanned for his brother. Glancing back at the door, he gulped - there was only one thing he could do. He had to find Kris. Shoving off his bed, Asriel slipped through the window and into the cold, foggy night.

...

The streetlights had terminated long behind Asriel. He didn’t know how long he’d been walking now, but he wasn’t really keeping time. Only one thing was on the goat kid’s mind, and that was finding his brother. His heart was sick with worry, and the only think that drove him onward was knowing that it would all only be more likely if he stopped. He wanted to break down and cry. He wanted to stop and yell and scream at the world. Most of all, though, he wanted to hug Kris, and let him know everything was okay, and that he could come home.

Home. He’d never really thought of it that way before. Despite everything, it really was Kris’ home too. He slept there, he ate there, he lived there. It was just as much as Asriel did there and more. The only difference was that Kris was a human, and not a goat monster. It wasn’t that big of a difference, when it came down to it. Asriel didn’t even really know what he had wanted out of a little brother. He’d just assumed that there’d be another young goat monster around the house and the rest would sort itself out from there. Instead, the whole experience had been tainted by Asriel’s initial shock of meeting Kris.

What didn’t make Kris the best little brother Asriel could have hoped for, anyway? He wanted to spend time with him. He wanted to play with him. Even for his lack of toys, Kris made sure Asriel had his fair turn when they shared. The goat boy winced as his horns throbbed momentarily. And he even wanted to have horns himself. He really did think he was just like Asriel, Toriel, and Asgore. But then again, besides being a human, he was just like them. And he wanted to be part of their family. But Asriel just couldn’t get past his own hangups.

Well, it was going to stop. If... When, he found Kris, Asriel was going to have a different attitude. He was going to be the kind of brother that Kris wanted, and needed. Asriel hated to recognise it, but Toriel and Asgore’s arguments were becoming more and more frequent, and Kris needed a pillar of stability and support he could cling to in the torrent of whatever may come. So much was going to change. Being more kind to Kris, being more generous, everything. He just had to find Kris, wherever he was. He just had to find Kris...

“Kris!” Asriel called out hoarsely, his voice uneven from having yelled that word so many times already. His breath quivered, too. He’d made it about 200m from home before he’d broken down, sobbing to himself as he wandered along the quiet rural road. The Dreemurrs’ home was on the edge of the settlement, next to the large, thick forest that surrounded the town beyond the lake. Asriel had figured that if Kris was going to run away, this is the path he’d take. That’s what he hoped, anyway. He didn’t know how long he’d been searching, but it was long enough that he’d lost track of time.

In the pale of the moonlight, Asriel spotted something. He stopped to grab it, breath hanging. It was a purple crayon, nearly worn down to the end. Kris used one of these all the time; Asriel didn’t know quite what he was drawing, but it stuck in his mind. Maybe it was a sign. His heart jumped as he glanced ahead and, just a hint before the darkness, he saw another crayon. It was green, pristine, as though it had never been used. Asriel raced ahead and grabbed it. Kris had to have dropped these. Pausing to glance around, he gasped as he heard a quiet but pained noise in the distance, just inside the treeline.

“Kris!” Asriel cried out as he sprinted inside the forest, desperately glancing from tree to tree. He drew a deep breath as he noticed a rainbow of crowns leading across the forest floor, passing each one faster as he ran toward the source of the noise. He’d done it, he’d found Kris! Now, all he needed to do was get him to walk back home with him, get him cleaned up, and then everything would be fine. Toriel and Asgore would have calmed down, and things would be back to normal, and Asriel could apologise and they could finally start being good brothers.

“Kris?” Asriel approached his brother slowly, the figure slumped beside the tree not seeming to move. He quickly realised the opposite, as much as it could be said - he was trembling, really. He was wearing the same clothes he’d had at the dinner table - save for his red plastic horns, the headband sitting uncomfortably in his damp, sweaty hair. The goat boy dropped to a knee, resting a hand on Kris’ shoulder. He wanted to speak, but the words were caught in his throat. He could only observe as Kris shied away at the touch, sniffling quietly as he buried his face further in his arms. His tattered backpack lay at his side, Asriel peeking inside to see just a bag of chocolate kisses and a colouring book - the crayons must have fallen out the hole in the bottom.

“Kris...” Asriel tried to speak, but after just one word he was struck by a deep wave of sadness. He had failed in his duty as Kris’ brother, and this is what had happened. Kris was alone, lost, and scared. He’d tried to escape what was clearly a distressing situation, and this is where he’d ended up. A sobbing, shaking heap, lost in the forest. Asriel couldn’t even imagine what would have happened if he hadn’t found him. But now that he had, he realised that he was just as lost as Kris was. He had absolutely no idea what to do next.

So, he cried. It came slowly as a deep, heaving sob, but he fell quickly to wrap his arms around Kris. The human boy instinctively responded, embracing the goat boy in return, the two brothers weeping heavily as they held one another. Every now and then, one tried to speak, only for their words to turn into yet another cry as they leant on each other, letting their pain pour out. It was quite some time before either began to calm, both reluctant to separate from the other, each of them sniffling quietly as they pulled away to face each other.

“Kris...” Asriel gasped deeply as he drew back from his brother, as though he may burst into tears again. Still, he steeled himself and pressed onward. “Do you want to come home?” Tears shimmered in his eyes, yet a small smile grew on his face, staring deeply past Kris’ fringe and into his eyes. Asriel knew the answer even before Kris nodded, falling into his brother and embracing him again as his sobbing renewed. They spent nearly as long as before locked together again, Kris quietly sniffling and whimpering into his big brother as the goat boy soothed him and stroked his back.

Kris took Asriel’s hand as the two kids rose to their feet, blinking back tears and leading him back toward the road. They began to walk the way they came, the goat boy tugging his brother along anxiously. He’d managed to find Kris. The hurdle was over. It was all downhill from here. He knew the way home - it was just up the road, the way they’d came, however long it was. They’d get there, and Toriel and Asgore would have gone to bed. Asriel could get Kris cleaned up, and they could go to bed, and tomorrow would be a new day. He could finally be the brother he should be.

Asriel froze. A bright light had appeared in the distance, and it was headed toward them, fast. He glanced around, searching for a place to hide, gripping Kris’ hand tighter than ever. Finding no refuge, he took a step forward to guard Kris, arms spread in front of his brother. These roads were usually quiet, but they led in and out of town, so it was always hard to tell who was coming and going. Still, Asriel had gotten this far in saving Kris, and he wasn’t about to lose him again. He reached for a long stick that lay to the side of the road, holding it aloft, ready to defend his brother from whatever threat may be passing.

Kris slowly took hold and lowered the stick as the car’s headlights dimmed and it pulled up at the side of the road. Asriel released a breath he didn’t notice he’d been holding as he saw the lights on top of the vehicle. Red and blue. It was the police. Asriel let the stick drop to the ground as the officer stepped from the car. She was a tall, slender fish monster, her cherry red hair shimmering in the light of the full moon. The goat boy had met her before when she’d given him a balloon at the local fair; he couldn’t quite remember what her name was though. He took his brother’s hand again as she approached and squatted before them, lowering herself to eye-to-eye level.

“There ya both are. We’ve been looking everywhere for both you kids.” Despite protocol, she couldn’t help her smile as she greeted the two lost boys. She hated missing children cases. Given that Kris was the only human in town, it had made her feel even more dreadful when Toriel had called in tears to report them missing. There were only so many ways out of town for runaways, though, and there were always cases like this that ended up having happy endings. It looked like this was one of them. “Your parents would really like you to come home. Do you want a ride?”

Asriel and Kris nodded as quickly as they could, embracing each other again as they looked toward Undyne sadly. The goat boy didn’t want to get in trouble, but at this point, it was worth it to have Kris back home safe. He gripped tightly onto his brother as the police officer took out her phone, dialling a number she’d scrawled on the back of her hand. “Hello, Mrs Dreemurr? I’ve found them. I’ll have them home right away. No, just doing my job.” She led the two kids to the patrol car, letting them both sit up the back, keeping her lights dim as she began to ferry the runaways back toward home.

The ride was slow, but calming. Both boys hands drifted together between the empty middle seat as the streetlights and houses began to dot back into view. It was a calming feeling being back in town. The air-conditioning was a nice surprise, too, after both their treks to the outskirts of town. They kept their hands gripped tightly as Undyne made her way through the quiet streets, both Toriel and Asgore visible on the porch as Undyne pulled into the Dreemurrs’ driveway. Both rushed forward to the car as they arrived, barely waiting for Kris and Asriel to slip from the car before bundling each kid up in their arms, hugging them tightly.

“My children...” Toriel blinked through tears as she embraced the pair, Asgore placing a shaky hand on her shoulder. “I knew you’d both be alright.” Her voice was ragged and uncertain, though laced with a breathy air of relief. Asgore stooped to greet the two boys as well, wrapping each of his broad arms around either of his sons. “You two have been on a big adventure, haven’t you!” He chuckled, although weakly, exhausted from the ordeal. Undyne simply stood to the side as the goat family embraced, all on the verge of tears. They slowly separated to stare at the officer, smiling gratefully.

Undyne shook her head and stepped back into her patrol car. She leaned out the window and winked as she sent the spiralling lights atop her car flashing. “I’ll be around tomorrow to take a full statement. Why don’t ya get the kids to bed in the meantime.” The family tearfully waved goodbye as Undyne pulled from the driveway, Asgore guiding the three indoors as the she sped away. Toriel fussed over Asriel as the goatman lead the younger boy away, the two Dreemurr males disappearing back up the stairs - just as this had all began. 

“Oh, Asriel, I was so worried.” The goat matriarch fussed over her elder son as she held him in the hallway of their home, barely able to bring herself to release him. Asriel hugged her tightly, yet he yearned to just be upstairs with his brother, to talk to him, to hold him, and just to be alone with him. Toriel took quiet a while to break the embrace, but when she did, she stayed at Asriel’s level. She sighed as she stared seriously at her son, hand on his shoulder as she began to speak as softly as she could. “Asriel. I have to ask. I know this wouldn’t have been your idea. Do you know why Kris went missing like this?”

Asriel bit his lip, glancing away from his mother. He didn’t know what to tell her. The past... However many hours it had been, had been some of the worst of his life. He barely wanted to relive them, but Toriel was obviously concerned, and with good reason. Still, he hadn’t apologised to Kris. He couldn’t know what his brother was discussing with Asgore, up in their room. He thought he’d done everything right. He’d searched for Kris, he’d found Kris, he’d saved Kris. Yet, he still couldn’t feel peace until he’d had a chance to let his brother know just how badly he’d fucked up.

“No, mom... I just went upstairs and saw he was gone.” Asriel could barely meet his mother’s gaze. He was a bad liar, and he knew it. But, the way he saw it, they were both to blame. Yes, Asriel had said something horrible to Kris, but the goat boy knew how distressing Toriel and Asgore’s arguments were to the young human. It had been closest they’d ever been, at least before tonight, when they’d huddled together during one of their parents more heated disagreements. Still, Asriel knew the best thing he could do right now was get upstairs and just be with his brother.

Toriel sighed and released her son, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead. “You should get to bed, my child. I know Asgore has already tucked your brother in.” Asriel gave one last sniffle and nodded, the mere mention of rest making him realise just how exhausted he was. Returning the gesture with a gentle kiss to his mother’s cheek, Asriel raced up the stairs. He crept toward his and Kris’ room, jumping in shock as his father emerged right before him. He could only laugh to himself mentally; of course, there just had to be one more hurdle before the end.

Asgore smiled warmly and grabbed his son, squeezing him in a tight embrace. “I just knew you were out there, looking out for him.” He murmured tiredly, his own eyes stained red from the emotion of everything that had happened. “We can all talk about what happened tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep for now.” Asriel smiled and squeezed his father tightly. He took a moment to let himself go and sink into the comfort of Asgore’s thick white fur - no matter how much he grew, he always found comfort in it. “Love you too, dad.”

Kris was already laying in bed as Asriel entered the room. He wandered over to his own side of the room and paused at his window again, sliding it closed - no sense risking a repeat, he thought to himself. Asriel flopped to his own bed and stared up at the ceiling, unsure what to do next. Kris clearly wasn’t asleep, but he was idle, and Asriel couldn’t tell where he may be looking. It seemed the obstacles never ended. Even now that he was here, in his room, safe, Asriel still couldn’t just say what he needed to. He pulled his pillow to his face and groaned for a moment before rising to his feet, flashed by inspiration.

The goat boy made his way to the corner of his side of the room, drawing a sheet from a large domed birdcage in the corner. A few months before Kris had arrived, Asriel’s parents had bought him a monster pet. It was a training gift of sorts, something to help Asriel adjust to having some level of responsibility. He’d taken to it with a shine, though it was hard to tell if they’d manifested as results when it came to Kris. Maybe, after tonight, it would. The cage held a clockwork bird, its metallic white chassis struck with a long sulfur crest running along its head. Asriel slowly plucked the cage from its perch, careful not to wake to snoozing mechanical bird, drawing to his brother’s bedside with a hush.

“Kris... Here.” The human boy rubbed his eyes blearily. Asriel hated to disturb his sibling for even a second more today, but he now knew what he needed to say. They both moved to sit on the edge of Kris’ bed, Asriel holding the birdcage before the two of them. “Kris... I know I haven’t been the best brother to you so far.” Both boys stared glumly for a moment, thinking it best to leave anymore left unsaid. “But, I want to change that... I’m sorry for everything I’ve said. I’m glad you’re part of my... our family.” The goat boy slowly began to smile, his heart racing, feeling as though the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders.

To his immense relief, Kris smiled in return. Asriel took a deep breath and laughed nervously, a relieved blush flushing through his face. “Kris... Here.” Smiling warmly at his brother, he handed the cage to him, the monster pet within rattling its wings at the brief disturbance. “I want you to have Clockatoo. He’s very easy to look after. You just have to wind him every few days or so.” Asriel took a deep breath and wrapped his arm around his brother. “This way, you can focus on looking after him... And I can focus on looking after you.” 

Kris took a moment to gently set the birdcage down at the foot of his bed before throwing his arms around his brother. Asriel collapsed from the sheer relief flowing through him, gripping his brother as tightly as he ever had. Neither could bear to let go. It was nearly midnight, and they both knew tomorrow was going to be a new day. A day that they could finally enjoy, together, as brothers. Neither Kris or Asriel let go of the other as the two boys slowly drifted off to sleep, locked in each other’s embrace now that they were finally home.


End file.
